Ancient Greece

Geography and the Early Greeks The Big Idea Greece’s geography and its nearness to the sea strongly influenced the development of trade and the growth of city-states. Main Ideas Geography helped shape early Greek civilizations. Trading cultures developed in the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. The Greeks created city-states for protection and security.

Ancient civilization Influenced Mediterranean region Unique way of life. Democracy began in Greece.

The Mediterranean Sea is the world’s largest inland sea. It is almost completely surrounded by Africa, Asia, and Europe.

A peninsula is land surrounded on 3 sides by water A peninsula is land surrounded on 3 sides by water. Greece is a peninsula

Attica Tiny wedge-shaped peninsula Juts eastward Natural harbors for ships.

Peloponnesus Peninsula covered with mountains Little fertile land Shaped like a big claw reaching out toward Crete.

Greece had little rich farmland due to rugged mountains and hillsides.

Greek farmers planted hearty olive trees and grape vines.

Geography helped shape early Greek civilizations. Mountains cover much of Greece, so contact with other villages was difficult. People created governments and ways of life. People settled in flat areas along coasts and river valleys. Because travel was so difficult inland, Greeks turned to the seas on all sides. They became skilled shipbuilders and sailors. The sea became a source of food as well as a way of trading with other communities. They also exchanged ideas with other cultures.

Rhodes is located east of Crete and west of Turkey Rhodes provides a perfect rest stop for ships sailing between Greece and Western Asia

Crete is the largest of about 400 islands that are part of Greece This is a fresco from the Minoan civilization on Crete.

Minoan Civilization Crete in 2800 BC Bronze civilization/weapons made of bronze Rich trading culture Knossos: center of far-ranging sea empire Ships sailed to Egypt and islands of southern Greece Palace of Knossos was elaborate: enormous private living rooms for family, workshops, and large bathrooms Named after King Minos, the King of Crete

Minoan Civilization Civilization on Crete suffered a major catastrophe around 1450 BC. heories: 1. Tidal wave caused by a volcano 2. Invasion by Myceneans 3. Volcanic ash

Crete: Minoan Civilization (Palace at Knossos)

Aerial View of Knossos

Palace of King Minos

Palace of King Minos - Interiors

Minoan Fresco Prince of Knossos http://www.graeco-roman.com/items/G4310.htm

Palace of King Minos Throne Room

Minoan Palace of Knossos

Minoans created and traded pottery, leather, bronze armor, and metal jewelry. They also enjoyed sports such as boxing and bull leaping. http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~tjmoore/Myth3web/05atheseusmincan.jpg

Minoan Artistic “Motifs”

Minoan Mural Shows Bull Leaping

Minoan Culture - Religion Minoan Priest

Minoan Trade Coast of Crete “Bireme” ship

Bull Cult

Trading cultures developed in the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. Minoans Trading in the Mediterranean Wood, olive oil, and pottery all around the eastern Mediterranean Victims of a huge volcano that erupted north of Crete Not considered to be Greek, since they didn’t speak Greek Mycenaeans Considered Greek. Lived inland and built fortresses. Violent in their trade. Took over Crete and became the major traders in the eastern Mediterranean. Developed colonies in northern Greece and Italy Shipped goods around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

The Mycenaean World

The Mycenaean Civilization

Mycenaeans: 2000 - 900 BC Lower Greece (lowlands) Fortress-palaces on hilltops Farming, herding, olive growing. Traded: gold & bronze Learned from Minoans: Shipbuilding, navigation, gold & bronze work, fashions, art, writing. Better warriors than traders (pirates) Most powerful people in Aegean world by 1400 BCE Trojan War (1200s BCE) Conquered by Dorians (late 1200’s)

archaeological“tell” View of Mycenae archaeological“tell”

Aerial View of Mycenae

Mycenae Citadel & Reconstruction

Approach to the Lion’s Gate

Lion’s Gate Entrance to Mycenae

The Mask of Agamemnon

Mycenaean Writing System: “Linear B”

The “Dark Age:” 1100 -800 BC Civil wars broke out following Trojan War Dorians conquered Mycenaeans Aegean world began era of “wandering and killing” Independent communities developed Layered view of nine major settlements of Troy by Christopher Haussner based on archaelogical excavation.

Greek Dark Ages From 1100 to 750 b.c., few records exist Population and food production fell Iron replaced bronze, improving weaponry and farming Greeks adopted Phoenician alphabet which made reading and writing simpler Homer wrote the Illiad and Odyssey

The Greeks created city-states for protection and security During the Dark Ages,Greeks started joining together in small groups for protection. Set up independent city-states. The Greek word for city-state is polis. Creation of city-states marks the beginning of Greece’s classical age, an age marked by great achievements.

Life in a City-State Usually built around a strong fortress on top of a high hill called an acropolis. The town was surrounded by walls for protection. People no longer had to fear raiders. Life in the city focused on the marketplace, or agora. City-state became the foundation for Greek civilization and gave Greeks an identity.

City-States and Colonization Life in Greece became more settled, and people agreed that the Greeks should establish colonies. Before long, groups from city-states around Greece began setting up colonies in distant lands. Greek colonies spread all around the Mediterranean and the Black Seas.

Patterns of Trade Although the colonies were independent, they often traded with city-states on the mainland. Trade made the city-states much richer. Soon the Greeks had become the greatest traders in the whole Aegean region.

The Rise of the Greek Polis Eboea Syracuse Athens Larissa Naxos Corinth